1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a bicycle front end arrangement having a bicycle electric power supply system with a bicycle front fork and a bicycle hub. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bicycle front fork having first and second fork blades connected to both axially facing ends of the bicycle hub that is equipped with an electricity generating mechanism having first and second electrodes or electrical connections.
2. Background Information
A bicycle is generally provided with a frame that constitutes the body framework of the bicycle and a front fork that is connected in a freely rotatable manner to a front end portion of the frame. The front fork basically comprises a pair of fork blades, a fork crown, and a fork stem. The two fork blades are arranged on both sides of the front wheel with the tip end portions of the fork blades being connected to a front hub arranged on the rotational center of the front wheel. The fork crown is connected to the base end portions (i.e., opposite ends from the tip end portions) of the fork blades. The fork stem is connected to the fork crown, and is arranged to extend upwardly form the fork crown. The fork stem is supported on the front end portion of the frame in a freely rotatable manner.
Such conventional bicycles as that just described are sometimes provided with a front lamp or other electric device mounted to the front fork and an electricity generating mechanism installed in the front hub for supplying electric power to the electric device. Such bicycles are usually fitted with a lead-wire-containing cable that runs along the front fork from the electricity generating mechanism to the electric device. The electricity generating mechanism generates electricity using the rotation of the front wheel and the electric power is delivered to the electric device through the lead wire (see for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-213104).
In such bicycles, the electricity generating mechanism has two electrodes. One of the electrodes of the electricity generating mechanism is connected to one of the electrodes of the electric device by the lead wire and the other electrode of the electricity generating mechanism is connected to the other electrode of the electric device by the front hub and the front fork that functions as ground.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved bicycle front end arrangement. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.